Issue 6, May 2004 Ä6.00 / $12.00 INSIDE THIS ISSUE: David Kaye and Bob Forward Interviewed! Simon Furman Writes! Contents Credits 2 Contents/Credits Executive Sven Harvey Editor: 3 Introduction Editor: Simon Plumbe 4 Interview: David Kaye Writers: Simon Furman, Ian Arrowsmith, 7 Guest Profiles:- Keith Cooper, Sven Harvey, Andrew Hettig, Simon Plumbe Wally Wingert Simon Furman Artists: Sean Bastick, Pete Billingham, Lee Sullivan Simon Chiddington, Sven Andrew Wildman Harvey, Simon Plumbe, Lee Simon Williams Sullivan, Simon Williams Jane Lawson Joanna Moher Photos: Sven Harvey, Simon Plumbe 11 Creating The Ultimate Guide Contributors: Bob Forward, David Kaye 13 The Transformers Unlimited Comic Design: Simon Plumbe 14 Transformers: BinalTech Front Cover: Lee Sullivan 18 DVD Reviews Back Cover: Pete Billingham 22 Masterpiece Convoy vs 20th Anniversary Optimus Prime The Cybertronian Times Issue 6 is the official fanzine of Auto Assembly 2004, and is 24 Interview: Bob Forward published by Infinite Frontiers and is • copyright 2004. 26 Transformers Unlimited: “War Reborn", Part 2" www.autoassembly.org.uk 30 A Late Starter And My Transformers Auto Assembly 2004 Memories PO Box 8966 Great Barr 31 Energon: A Collectors Guide Birmingham B43 5ST 40 Cover Vision 43 20 Years Of Transformers, 21 Years Of Me 46 AA2004 Attendees 48 Robots In Disguise 53 BotCon Minibots! 54 Auto Assembly 2005 - Where Next? 2 Introduction A massive thank you goes to Simon Plumbe for essentially running the event for me with Hi and welcome to the sixth issue of the very little interference from me whilst allowing Cybertronian Times, available exclusively as me to overview essentially all the creative part of registrations at Auto Assembly 2004. aspects of AA, CT and TransFormers: Unlimited (I promise Simon that now things I am proud to say that every issue of The are a bit more settled, that I will have more to Cybertronian Times up until this point has do with things next year!). sold out, which makes it a better seller than the Star Trek and Amiga zine stable mates Thanks to the contributors to this magazine - that were put out by us at Infinite Frontiers. I Pete Billingham, Simon Chiddington, Keith hope you enjoy the zine and would like to Cooper, Andrew Hettig, and last but not least, appeal for letters whether they are to ask Simon Furman for his article and Lee Sullivan questions or comment on the zine itself. We for the brilliant cover art! really do need all the feedback we can get to continue to improve CT. Thank you also to the websites that helped spread the word about AA2004, especially I am afraid the balance in this issue may have TransFormers At The Moon been upset a little by the lack of (http://www.transformertoys.co.uk) and TransFormers: Unlimited content (well at TransFormers.Net least at the time of …as it was (http://www.transformers.net). supposed to be in the delayed comic, the shift to full colour and having to re-examine the The following people have also helped out way the mag is presented due to these both visibly and behind the scenes on things changes. to do with Auto Assembly 2004 and CT, be it directly or by keeping me, especially, sane; I would imagine that most of you will be My wife Claire and my three, suddenly into reading this after Auto Assembly 2004 or TransFormers, children – Sophie, Will and possibly whilst having a brief quiet moment at Daniel, my father, Tony, my mom, Ann, my the event itself, in which case I hope AA2004 brother, Stefan plus Tim Smith and Matt has been enjoyable and we look forward to Jackson, and all the silly sods who seeing you next year. volunteered to help out at AA itself. THANKS! A final thank you goes out to everyone who has registered for Auto Assembly 2004. We Finally I would like to thank a few people; are grateful to you, as without you AA would never have got past the first event, and unlike Firstly our AA2004 guests; Wally Wingert other events, especially those for science (Side Burn and Mirage from RiD), Simon fiction fan bases, we intend never to lose Furman (Comic writer and Beast Wars sight of the fact that our job as organisers of episode writer), Andrew Wildman (comic an event such as AA is to do our best to artist), Lee Sullivan (comic artist), Jane & Jo make the event as enjoyable as possible for from Metrodome (G1 TV show DVD you, our attendees! producers), Alex from Maximum Entertainment (RiD TV show DVD See you all next year! producers), Simon Williams and the Atari reps we are expecting to show us the new Sven Harvey Armada based game for the PS2 – a big thank you to them for giving up their weekend for the fans. A second thanks goes to Wally for the voice work on the site along with his friend, Neil Kaplan (RiD Optimus Prime). 3 "Megatron: Terrorize!" David: Of course. ’never completely David Kaye Interviewed satisfied, but there are times when I by Simon Plumbe think...."cool, that sounded awesome." I LIKE those moments. We were fortunate enough to be able to interview Transformers voice acting legend Simon: You have a wonderful talent for David Kaye recently following his involvement performing a fantastic range of accents. Do with this year's Auto Assembly and our you have any particular favourite dialects to charity auction. speak in or use for characters? Simon: First, could you tell our readers David: I love Irish, Welsh, British and slight something about yourself? Spanish accents as well as the southern drawls of the various regions of America. David: Oh man!! Well... I was born in Canada ’always fun. (Peterborough, Ontario) ’of Welsh/English and American Decent. We reside in British Simon: Are there any roles - on screen or Columbia in West Vancouver and also have a voiceovers - that you have turned down or place in Los Angeles as I find myself would refuse to take? travelling between the two cities quite a bit. I love skiing (POWDER!!) ’a bit of a gym rat David: Well, on camera I ’do anymore and also love tennis... Oh yeah, I do some reporter roles. I bore easily and ’done my voice acting too. share. In voice, mostly ’turned down things because the money just ’there. I Simon: When did you realise that you wanted love to do as much as I can. ’all fun. to become an actor? Simon: You've done a lot of work for David: I basically fell into it. I guess when I voiceover work in advertising. Are there any was in radio years ago, I felt there was products you would refuse to advertise? something more out there for me. I acquired an agent due to a bit of a fluke (commercial David: Obviously if it were for the KKK or Al- modelling course of all things) he sent me out Quaeda, I ’have anything to do with to an audition for G.I. Joe. I landed the part it. Otherwise ’open. of General Hawk. From there on in I was exposed to "the industry." Started theatre, got Simon: Were you familiar with Transformers some on camera exposure, a few small parts before being cast in the role of Megatron? which led to larger roles and more voice work. I also started a business providing David: Not really station identification and promotional branding for radio and television around the Simon: Aside from Megatron, who would you world. That keeps me insanely busy say was your favourite character from Beast everyday too. I must say ’very happy with Wars? what I do for a living now. ’a blast. David: Tarantulas. ’just a FREAK !!!! Simon: Which would you say that you get a greater sense of satisfaction from doing? On- Simon: The reaction from fans to Beast screen appearances or voice acting? Machines was lukewarm at best. Did you or any of the other cast have concerns while David: VOICE ACTING!!!!!! recording it? Simon: Do you tend to watch your own work David: YESSSSS!! I thought we lost the after it is broadcast, studying it critically and humor in the writing of that particular series, do you ever feel that you could have done but just the same it was a cool looking show. things differently? 4 Simon: After doing Beast Wars and Beast that sometimes you even think that you ARE Machines, were you surprised that you Megatron! Would it be safe to say that he's weren't cast as Megatron for Robots In your favourite of all of the characters you Disguise? have portrayed? David: I ’know too much about that at all David: YESSSSSS...again to be honest. I guess I WOULD'VE been surprised if I would have known. ARMADA Simon: Do you think that it's more rewarding came along and we were back at it. Energon to play "bad guys" rather than heroic now of course. characters? Simon: How have you found the response David: Sure. There are a lot of different you have received from Transformers fans to personality levels to a guy who thinks what your work on the shows? ’doing is for the best even though WE all know ’a nut case. David: Incredible. I ’realize what an impact it has. Simon: Of all of the characters you have portrayed so far, both on-screen and in terms Simon: It's been mentioned on your website of voices, what would you say was the in the past that you like Megatron so much strangest so far? David: I did some work early on for Monster Rancher (due to commitments I ’ continue) that ’just WHACKED !! Some of the characters on that show are bizarre, but in a way loveable too.